Recent and classic observations suggest that the mitochondria has an important and ancient role in determining the distinction between germ-line and soma, as well as sexual identity. In this regard, the fact that the mitochondria genome is asymmetrically inherited is perhaps THE defining feature of the oocyte.
The asymmetric inheritance feature of mitochondrial genes and sex chromosome genes promotes the evolution of sexually antagonistic gene functions (i.e. compromised gene function in one sex or both). The present invention is based on the premises that such genes will contribute preferentially to the aging phenotype.